Abstract: An apparatus to coat at least one three-dimensional (3D) object. The apparatus includes: a coating chamber; a vacuum pump system; a chamber port; and a rotatable object holder. The holder has a rotational axis Z. At least two rotary cathodes are positioned in the chamber. Each cathode includes a hollow cylindrical rotary target having a rotary axis Y. A magnetic system is swivel or rotary mounted round axis Y and positioned neighboring to an inner diameter surface of the target. At least one power supply is provided for the target. The targets of the at least two rotary cathodes are positioned round the holder, with their axes Y1, Y2 transverse to axis Z, both being offset to the holder in a z-direction, and being offset to each other in a direction along axis Z on opposite sides of an object plane O which is vertical to axis Z.

Abstract: So as to perform a vacuum surface treatment on a workpiece at a predetermined temperature, which is different from a temperature to which the surface is exposed during the vacuum surface treatment, the workpiece is conveyed in a conveyance direction along one or more than one station group including one or more than one tempering station and of a single treatment station.

Abstract: The method of providing a permeation-barrier layer system on a substrate includes establishing a permeation seal by depositing, by PVD and/or by ALD, an inorganic material layer system, thereby providing adhesion of the inorganic material layer system and crack-sealing by depositing a polymer material layer system on the substrate and the inorganic material layer system on the polymer material system.

Abstract: A layer deposition apparatus having a substrate carrier, an inorganic material layer deposition station with a PVD layer deposition chamber and an ALD layer deposition chamber as well as a polymer deposition station. A control unit controls intermittent exposure of a substrate on the substrate carrier to the deposition effect of the inorganic material layer deposition station and from the polymer deposition station.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing substrates using a transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, including a carrier and a take-over arrangement. A substrate carrier of magnetisable material has a peripheral protruding rim. An untreated substrate lies in the substrate carrier below the rim. The substrate carrier is taken-over from the take-over arrangement by controlling a distance between a permanent magnet and the substrate carrier and transported from to a treatment station. The controlled drive of the permanent magnets in the take-over arrangement is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements.

Abstract: Liquid precursor material of a coating substance and a solvent is provided in a reservoir (STEP1, STEP1?). In one variant the liquid precursor material is distilled (STEP2), the resultant liquid coating substance is vaporized (STEP3) and ejected through a vapor distribution nozzle arrangement (7) into a vacuum recipient (3) and onto substrate 5 to be coated. Alternatively, the liquid precursor material is directly vaporized (STEP3?). From the two-component vapor coating substance vapor is applied to substrate 5? to be coated. In this variant separation of solvent vapor and coating substance vapor is performed especially downstream vaporizing (STEP2?).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing substrates using a transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, including a carrier and a take-over arrangement. A substrate carrier of magnetisable material has a peripheral protruding rim. An untreated substrate lies in the substrate carrier below the rim. The substrate carrier is taken-over from the take-over arrangement by controlling a distance between a permanent magnet and the substrate carrier and transported from to a treatment station. The controlled drive of the permanent magnets in the take-over arrangement is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements.

Abstract: A transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, comprising a carrier (3) and a take-over arrangement (15). Both are moveable relative to each other. A relatively heavy substrate carrier (7) of magnetizable material is taken-over from the take-over arrangement (15) by distance control of a permanent magnet (17) at the take-over arrangement (15) or is returned therefrom to a carrier (3). The controlled drive of the permanent magnets (17) in the take-over arrangement (15) is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements (19).

Abstract: Liquid precursor material of a coating substance and a solvent is provided in a reservoir (STEP1, STEP1?). In one variant the liquid precursor material is distilled (STEP2), the resultant liquid coating substance is vaporized (STEP3) and ejected through a vapor distribution nozzle arrangement (7) into a vacuum recipient (3) and onto substrate 5 to be coated. Alternatively, the liquid precursor material is directly vaporized (STEP3?). From the two-component vapor coating substance vapor is applied to substrate 5? to be coated. In this variant separation of solvent vapor and coating substance vapor is performed especially downstream vaporizing (STEP2?).

Abstract: The present invention addresses an in-situ annealing station for treating a substrate in an atmosphere of controlled water vapour pressure at a defined temperature. Such a station can be integrated as a process chamber into a multi chamber processing tool in which an anti-fingerprint coating process is being performed. The substrate is always under vacuum conditions until the annealing process has finished. Experimental data show that a significant reduction of the subsequent ex-situ curing duration can be achieved compared to Prior Art by introducing this in-situ treatment in water vapour immediately after the anti-fingerprint coating step. The invention further addresses a deposition process for a substrate to be annealed by exposing it to water-vapour under sub atmospheric pressure at a temperature of ca. 130° C. for about 5 s.

Abstract: Liquid precursor material of a coating substance and a solvent is provided in a reservoir (STEP1, STEP1?). In one variant the liquid precursor material is distilled (STEP2), the resultant liquid coating substance is vaporized (STEP3) and ejected through a vapour distribution nozzle arrangement (7) into a vacuum recipient (3) and onto substrate 5 to be coated. Alternatively, the liquid precursor material is directly vaporized (STEP3?). From the two-component vapour coating substance vapour is applied to substrate 5? to be coated. In this variant separation of solvent vapour and coating substance vapour is performed especially downstream vaporizing (STEP2?).

Abstract: Throughput of manufacturing thin-film solar panels by inline technique is made substantially independent from the time extent of different surface treatment steps by accordingly subdividing treatment steps in sub-steps performed in inline subsequent treatment stations. Treatment duration in each of the subsequent treatment stations is equal(?).

Abstract: A transport arrangement (100) for bi-directionally transporting substrates towards and from a load lock (5) comprises a first substrate handler (1) swivelable about a first axis (A1) and with at least two first substrate carriers (1a, 1b). A second substrate handler (20) swivelable about a second axis (A20) comprises at least four second substrate carriers (20a to 20d). First and second substrate carriers are mutually aligned respectively in one position of their respective swiveling trajectory paths as one of the first substrate carriers is aligned with one of the second substrate carriers and the other of the first substrate carriers is aligned with the load lock (5). The first substrate carriers (1a, 1b) are movable towards and from the load lock (5) once aligned there with and thereby form respectively external valves of the load lock (5).

Abstract: A transport and handing-over arrangement for disc shaped substrates, comprising a carrier (3) and a take-over arrangement (15). Both are moveable relative to each other. A relatively heavy substrate carrier (7) of magnetisable material is taken-over from the take-over arrangement (15) by distance control of a permanent magnet (17) at the take-over arrangement (15) or is returned therefrom to a carrier (3). The controlled drive of the permanent magnets (17) in the take-over arrangement (15) is performed by means of pneumatic piston/cylinder arrangements (19).

Abstract: A method for the deposition of an anti-reflection film on a substrate is disclosed. A substrate including a plurality of solar cell structures is provided and placed in a vacuum chamber with a target including silicon. A flow of a nitrogen-containing reactive gas into the vacuum chamber is set to a first value while a voltage between the target and ground is switched off and then increased to a second value. A voltage is applied between the target and ground, whereby a film of silicon and nitrogen is deposited on the substrate in a flow of the nitrogen-containing reactive gas which is higher than the first value.

Abstract: Throughput of manufacturing thin-film solar panels by inline technique is made substantially independent from the time extent of different surface treatment steps by accordingly subdividing treatment steps in sub-steps performed in inline subsequent treatment stations. Treatment duration in each of the subsequent treatment stations is equal (?).

Abstract: A transport arrangement (100) for bi-directionally transporting substrates towards and from a load lock (5) comprises a first substrate handler (1) swivelable about a first axis (A1) and with at least two first substrate carriers (1a, 1b). A second substrate handler (20) swivelable about a second axis (A20) comprises at least four second substrate carriers (20a to 20d). First and second substrate carriers are mutually aligned respectively in one position of their respective swiveling trajectory paths as one of the first substrate carriers is aligned with one of the second substrate carriers and the other of the first substrate carriers is aligned with the load lock (5). The first substrate carriers (1a, 1b) are movable towards and from the load lock (5) once aligned there with and thereby form respectively external valves of the load lock (5).

Abstract: A method for the deposition of an anti-reflection film on a substrate is disclosed. A substrate including a plurality of solar cell structures is provided and placed in a vacuum chamber with a target including silicon. A flow of a nitrogen-containing reactive gas into the vacuum chamber is set to a first value while a voltage between the target and ground is switched off and then increased to a second value. A voltage is applied between the target and ground, whereby a film of silicon and nitrogen is deposited on the substrate in a flow of the nitrogen-containing reactive gas which is higher than the first value.

Abstract: Method for sputtering from a dielectric target (9) in a vacuum chamber (2) with a high frequency gas discharge, the target (9) being mounted on a cooled metallic back plate (10) and this back plate forming an electrode (10) supplied with high frequency, includes a target thickness (Td) profiled (15) differently over the surface such that in the regions of a desired decrease of the sputtering rate the target thickness (Td) is selected to be greater than in the remaining regions.

Abstract: To generate an especially good heat transfer between a seating face of a storage plate support and a storage plate, during coating with a sputter source in a vacuum installation, the seating face of the storage plate support is slightly annularly convexly arched and the storage plate is clamped in the center as well as on its outer margin by a center mask and an outer mask against the arched seating face. Hereby an especially good heat transfer is attained with very low arching d, whereby the storage plate is treated gently and simultaneously, during the coating process, no layer thickness distribution problems occur through arching that is too large.